guitar2005

Don't get these bridges - Get the ones that have adjustable saddles like this: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailp...und_Bridge.html I wouldn't want a guitar with a bridge that has no adjustments for intonation.

Stew mac has two basic kinds of fret crowning files. Diamond and "traditional". I'm tempted to just go with the regular file. Will I regret not getting the diamond file? Also, any suggestions on the best place to buy? Thanks

Who cares? He's using Behringer and LIne 6 gear. I wouldn't invest too much in speakers... but getting a full range cab would help. I'd suggest getting some Yamaha PA speakers - they're good quality, sound good and are relatively cheap.

The Dimarzio Super Distortion is very high output @ 425mv. I have one in my Rhoads V and it sounds very cool but its not my preffered sound. The X2N beats them all at 510mv. Personally, I think that's complete overkill.

I was on the stew mac site looking for some 16" fret press caul inserts and found that they only go to 12". Anyone know where I could find these? Thanks, F.M.

Kinda makes it look retarded, but to each his own. You could also add a skull carving on there and a faux lions' claw. Agreed! I think that if you want the "omega" hole, consider an inlay instead or I'd suggest making it smaller and not as "circle-ly". A smaller oval would blend in better with the shape of the SG IMHO.

I woudn't worry about mahogany being too warm or muddy. It'll bring out the mids a little more and make the guitar cut through better but you won't have the same attack on the notes compared to a maple neck.

Double Shame, those guitars cost $4000 new ...and then people are so quick to say "Shame on Gibson" for charging $2000 for a guitar with REAL binding. I know. I stopped buying Ibanez guitars. My last one was in 1988 - a JEM77RB. I wanted another one two years ago and just made it myself (assembled) with a Korina body from Jim Donahue and a Wizard neck. I do think that Gibsons are overpriced though. Look at the quality of the finish on the headstock and where the neck joins the body on a LP. Orange peel everywhere. Up here, in Canada, a decent LP Standard goes for 2400 new + 14% tax. Too much for a mass produced guitar IMO.

Although high output pickups are a good idea, some players prefer medium output pickups like the PAF Pro by DiMarzio, the Screamin' Demon by Seymour Duncan and others I can't remember right now. Its basically a question of style of sound you're going for.

Nice work so far! I really like that wood. I've never seen Brazillian Mahogany before. Will you angle the neck or have it sit proud?

Looks like you're referring to a planer, not a jointer. Anyways.... I bought a used delta 37-280 jointer in like new condition. I don't have the time to look for a good hand plane right now.

Which one did you get? The Delta shopmaster looks kinda neat for the price but its only 2 knives.

For a neck, you need to be extremely accurate. I put a straightedge along the blank and I better not see any gaps before gluing the fretboard ... Hand planing works but it is a LOT of work to get right. A good plane (i.e. Veritas) with a good blade (to cut maple and hardwoods) will be in the $200.00 range. I tried the cheaper blades and I'm always resharpening and wasting time that way. Maybe I should get a new blade (Lee Valley has them for around $40.00) instead of a whole new plane. While I'm at it, I'll need a new sharpening stone - another 40 to 50 $. I'm already close to $100.00 argghgh. Are the electric jointer really not worth it? I was going to save up for one....

I thought you went for a scarf joint. Am I missing something?

I use the same technique for making neck blanks. I find that it make for a more stable neck and you can alternate between woods. Last time around, I used Birdseye maple/Jatoba/Birdseye maple. Looks real neat - I just have the complete it now... projects have been on hold for a while now. What technique did you use to get the neck straight for the fretboard to be glued on? Did you hand plane and check with a straightedge?

Don't you need a jointer for building necks? I'm in the process of building a couple of necks right now and am about to buy a jointer to get the neck as flat and straight as possible. This helps in getting a top notch glueing surface for the fretboard, which itself should also be a straight and flat as possible. For gluing up boards, I've always glued up straight off the table saw and NEVER had any problems.

I have an extra flying V blank I'd like to get rid of. It is full size with the grain running straight (parrallel to the strings). It is made of select Honduran Mahogany. The V shape is cut and that's it. There's enough wood for it to be setup for a bolt on or set neck. It just needs a little filler on the back (unless you route for a trem).

When you look at the grain, you'll notice that it is very tight, more like maple than Korina (which has open grain much like Mahogany)

That is absolutely NOT white Korina. Think of the '58 Korina Explorer - That was white Korina with a yellowish finish. http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?Produc...;CollectionID=3 I finished a white Korina Jem 2 years ago with a red stain. I know what white korina looks like - Basically, its like Mahogany in terms of grain with no black grain "striping" My first thought when I saw that guitar was that it is some kind of spalted Maple, Poplar or Birch. When you look at the edge as mammoth pointed out, you see that it is only the top that is of a different species. Most probably over African Mahogany. I personally think that black Korina (Limba) would look and sound absolutely amazing. The only problem is getting it in wide enough boards to build a wide guitar like an Explorer. Combine that with an Ebony fretboard with a maple insert like this http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/8337/aut3740oy7.jpg Black hardware... That would be killer. F.M.

All this talk about filling huge cavities with wood blocks, epoxy and what not is crazy. A new top would be a good alternative but will all of the effort involved, you might as well just start a new body. It will be quicker and better in the long run. If that guitar were mine, I would leave the routes alone, re-paint, make a really nice pearloid pickguard for it and upgrade the bridge (Floyd or wilkinson). The biggest change I would potentially do is a two humbucker route - think Dave Murray of Iron Maiden.

Seriously? Thats just ridiculous... I agree that a lot of the audiophile stuff is pure hype BUT... when I replaced the tone caps in my 20yr old BOSS SD-1, I did hear a difference. Certain types or kinds (not talking about the values) of capacitors in the circuits can make a difference in tonality. Its like tubes. Even though it says EL34 on the tube, not all EL34s are created equal. For the tone circuit of a guitar, I would get the highest quality cap possible because you're dealing with small voltages.

I know this is an old thread but I really like that cab. Could you explain or guide us by explaining how you did the finger joints?

You're close - the satch fingerboard radius is 240mm - about 9.5 inches. I assume the bridge is set to match. Note the shims under the saddle pieces on the bridge. Yup, the Edge Bridge is set to match the satriani neck radius on Satrinani models. Other than that, the "default", non shimmed radius is 16"

I like 16" but also like 12" (like my strat and V). The Satriani Ibanez came with a 12" radius edge ... I think.

Bad advice! Thinning the glue with water will weaken the bond. Use the right product. The chair doctor glue is better than CA or epoxy for cracks like this one. Sorry, but why would that be? Chair doctor works by swelling the wood, doesn't it? Titebond is tried and tested, and I wouldn't start using a product designed for ill-fitting furniture joints on something critical like a headstock. No offence. My post says that the chair doctor is better than CA or Epoxy. I didn't say it was better than Titebond - Its just better than titebond thinned out with water. I've used the Chair Doctor glue on tight fitting joints that needed repair and never had problems with the wood swelling up (as long as its properly clamped). Its just a thin wood glue, that's all. It comes with a seringe which helps for application. I'm sure that using pure (non-thinned) titebond by working it in the joint would be just as good or better